Walking onto the set of HATCHET III, one immediately gets the impression that it’s very different from the series’ previous entries. Not only is this the first of the films to actually be shot in the murky swamps of Louisiana, where the popular series is set, but on this day, the familiar face of HATCHET, Adam Green, is nowhere to be seen.

As it turns out, Green is hard at work writing the second season of his hit FEARnet TV series HOLLISTON back at his hotel—the first of many refreshing signs that the man who created Victor Crowley has the utmost faith in HATCHET III’s new director. That man, the ever-smiling BJ McDonnell, greets Fango and leads the way even deeper into the swamps, where a varied group of the film’s stars prepare for their first shot of the day.

“I know it’s a director’s job to say things like this, but I mean it when I say that I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with on my first film,” McDonnell tells Fango with a laugh. The scene underway, which has a number of firemen and police officials arriving via swamp boat to Victor Crowley’s turf, is the production’s first day shoot (having already lensed two weeks of nights)—and coincidentally their last day in the swamp itself.

As the scene wraps, THE FP writer/director/star Jason Trost trudges through the bayou beside us, chatting quickly about his character, and how different this part is from his attention-getting role in his groundbreaking sci-fi/comedy (on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow from Image Entertainment). Next to Trost is his FP co-star Sean Whalen, whom horror fans lovingly remember as Roach in Wes Craven’s classic THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS. Playing a lighthearted paramedic named Randy, who is called to the bloody scene at Honey Island Swamp, Whalen opens up to Fango about the role.

“Randy is one of the paramedics sent to the swamp, and is fascinated by what has happened,” the actor explains. “He’s not cold and detatched. He’s actually pretty pumped to be somewhere so many people have died. He just finds it kind of exciting. He’s got this boring job, and finally, he has something thrilling to do. Plus, he has always been enamored of the legend of Victor Crowley, so there’s that thrill of wondering if he’ll discover whether it’s all true!

“I’ve never been down to New Orleans before,” the actor adds with a smile. “I love the swamp! Everyone’s so freaked out by the bugs and alligators, but I think it’s a riot! I’ve had people tell me, ‘Don’t go in the trees there, or the gators will get you!’ and ‘Speak up! The frogs are loud tonight!’ You can only hear things like that so many times before you go, ‘Wow! I’m really in a swamp! This is for real!’

“It’s been such a fun shoot,” Whalen adds. “I even managed to get down to Bourbon Street with the crew! They’re a fun, fun bunch—and I think that fun translates into the film. I can’t wait to see it.”

Neither can the rest of us, and judging from what else we saw (and can’t yet discuss!), it’s going to be bloodier than ever when HATCHET III is unleashed upon its fans. Keep your eyes here and on Dark Sky Films’ Twitter feed (where the picture above was recently posted) for further updates! 

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